Mistake-Proof Leak Testing in the Automotive Industry to Avoid Recalls

The constant pressure on the automotive industry to lower emissions and improved fuel consumption leads to increasing leak-tightness requirements. Lubricants, coolants and wiper fluids, brake fluid, refrigerants, fuels and air bag propellants can escape through the smallest leaks. Automakers and their suppliers require solutions that can detect the smallest leaks and guarantee high reproducibility and certainty of the measurement results.

In the automotive industry, charging a part with air and submerging it under water is called bubble testing. Bubble testing under water is inaccurate for finding the small leaks that automakers need to eliminate and inefficient due to the possibility of human judgment errors. Differential pressure tests are not suitable because of temperature and humidity dependence. INFICON offers solutions that are not only efficient and economical, but also fulfill all leak-tightness requirements.

Leak Testing for the Entire Automotive Production Process

INFICON products support both complete part testing and leak location methods. You can select from a wide range of test gases to assure you are using the best leak testing technology for your particular application.
Besides leak testing during production of the vehicle’s parts and assembly INFICON also offers handheld leak detectors for maintenance and repair, for example, to service automotive air conditioning systems or detect worn pistons and bearings.

NEW! Download your version of the e-book, “Guide to Leak Testing for the Automotive Industry” here! This free e-book covers all aspects of leak testing in the automotive industry. It provides the information you need to make decisions about the best leak testing method for your particular application and helps you avoid typical pitfalls.

Part 1 describes the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods for leak testing and leak location. Part 2 covers specific use cases in automotive production. At the end of the second part, you will learn about the top ten most common errors in leak testing. This includes contaminated test pieces, ignoring temperature and pressure changes in the testing process, and unidentified ongoing creep and gross leaks.